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2025 saw a sharp rise in violations of LGBTQ+ rights in Turkey, according to a new report. The document highlighted deaths linked to anti-LGBTQ+ violence, increased detentions of activists and journalists, bans on public events and new barriers to gender-affirming healthcare.
LGBTQ+ rights in Turkey have been eroded since Erdoğan first became president in 2014, with his government and followers increasingly employing anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric through the years. While homosexuality is not criminalised in the nation, LGBTQ+ people have very few protections.
Last year, a draft bill was leaked, outlining the Turkish conservative government’s plans to introduce repressive law proposals aimed at restricting gender recognition procedures as well as criminalising public expression of LGBTQ+ identities. The proposals were part of the government’s “Year of the Family” initiative for 2025 and aimed to amend Turkey’s Civil and Penal Codes.
According to the new report, released by Turkish advocacy group Kaos GL, 2025 has seen the crackdown on LGBTQ+ rights intensify. The group recorded six deaths linked to anti-LGBTQ+ violence, including three that were recorded as “hate killings”. The report shows that trans people were disproportionately affected by such violence.
Kaos GL also recorded 89 incidents involving alleged torture, ill-treatment or other physical abuse. In addition to this, the group cited claims of mistreatment in detention or in prison.
There were 313 cases involving detentions, mostly during protests or public events. Moreover, bans on public events were widespread, including 336 cases involving Pride marches or other LGBTQ+ related events. Such events were prohibited by authorities, broken up by police or followed by criminal investigations of participants.
195 incidents involving restrictions on free speech were recorded, including bans on displaying Pride flags, cancellations of cultural events, or fines for digital platforms over LGBTQ+ content. One LGBTQ+ organisation was closed by a court order in 2025, while several activists faced criminal investigations for their work.
To read more about the report, visit this link.
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